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Chapter 53

  In the spectator section reserved for Konoha genin, Tenten leaned forward against the railing, surveying the arena where Team Seven had just claimed victory. She whistled appreciatively, tapping her fingers against the metal barrier.

  "That explosion technique at the end was something else," she remarked. "I might need to ask Sakura about the trigger mechanism she used."

  Rock Lee nodded vigorously beside her. "Indeed! Their youthful battle spirit was most impressive!" He punched the air with enthusiasm. "Though I must say, Kiba-kun's transformation was equally magnificent!"

  Hinata stood slightly behind them, her pale eyes focused on the medical team escorting her teammates from the arena. Her fingers fidgeted together in their habitual nervous gesture. When she spotted Shino making his way up the stairs toward their section, she perked up.

  "Shino-kun!" she called, waving him over.

  The Aburame approached, his expression unreadable behind his high collar and dark glasses. Despite his defeat, he carried himself with the same quiet dignity as always.

  "That was an excellent match," Tenten said, offering him a bright smile. "Your bug clones nearly had Sakura a couple of times."

  Lee thrust a thumbs-up in Shino's direction. "A most youthful display of the power of teamwork! You and Kiba-kun pushed them to their limits!"

  Hinata moved to her teammate's side, concern evident in her eyes. "Are you okay, Shino-kun? You're not injured, are you?"

  "I am functioning adequately," Shino replied in his measured tone. "Why? Because my kikaichu absorbed most of the impact from Sakura's strikes. My chakra reserves are depleted by approximately sixty-three percent, but I will recover within a few hours."

  "I'm glad," Hinata said with genuine relief. "Kiba-kun seemed to take a harder hit at the end."

  "Indeed. The direct exposure to Sakura's explosive tags was... unfortunate," Shino adjusted his glasses. "However, Kiba's resilience is considerable. I expect he will recover quickly."

  As if summoned by their conversation, Sakura appeared at the top of the stairs, her long pink ears twitching slightly as she caught sight of them. She approached with a slight hesitation in her step and a slightly put out expression on her face after having been told she couldn’t stay with Sasuke in the competitors section.

  "Hey, everyone," she greeted, raising a hand in a small wave. "That was a great match, Shino."

  "It was satisfactory," Shino acknowledged with a slight nod. "Your strategy with the scented distractions was effective. Why? Because it prevented Kiba from fully utilizing his olfactory advantages."

  "Thanks," Sakura smiled, adjusting one of her Uchiha fan earrings. "I wasn't sure if it would work against an Inuzuka's sense of smell, but we figured it was worth trying."

  "Where's Sasuke-kun?" Tenten asked, glancing around.

  "He went to the competitors' waiting area," Sakura explained. "He wants to watch the upcoming matches, especially Naruto's."

  Lee's expression brightened at the mention of their blonde teammate. "Ah! Naruto-kun's match against Gaara-kun and Haku-san will be most exciting! The flames of youth will burn brightly indeed!"

  Before Sakura could respond, commotion from the stairwell drew their attention. Kiba emerged, moving stiffly but under his own power, with Akamaru clutched carefully in his arms. Behind him followed Karin, her red hair vibrant against the subdued colors of the arena, and Chouji, still munching steadily on his chips.

  "Kiba-kun!" Hinata exclaimed, relief evident in her voice.

  The Inuzuka gave a pained grin, one hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. "Hey, guys. Miss anything yet?"

  "Only us discussing your most impressive transformation technique!" Lee declared.

  Kiba's gaze found Sakura, and he narrowed his eyes in a mock growl. "Nice trick with those flower petals," he said, baring his fangs slightly. "Won't fall for that one next time, Bunny-girl."

  Despite the confrontational words, his tone was good-natured, earning a smile from Sakura.

  "You nearly had us with that two-headed wolf transformation," she admitted. "If you'd connected directly, Sasuke and I would have been in serious trouble."

  "Damn right," Kiba agreed with a wider grin, though he winced slightly as the movement pulled at his tender ribs.

  "Kiba!" A sharp, commanding voice cut through their conversation.

  Approaching from behind was a fierce-looking woman with the same feral features as Kiba, accompanied by a massive wolf-like dog with an eye patch. Behind her walked a younger woman with the same clan markings, flanked by three identical gray ninken.

  Kiba's face immediately flushed. "Mom! Sis! I was just—"

  "Just getting your ass handed to you by a couple of rookies," his mother, Tsume Inuzuka, interrupted with a bark of laughter. She clapped a hand roughly on his shoulder, making him wince. "Still, not bad with that transformation. Your timing's improving."

  "Thanks," Kiba muttered, shooting a mortified glance toward Karin, who was watching the interaction with evident interest.

  Hana, Kiba's older sister, stepped forward with a more gentle smile. "You did well, little brother. Though you might want to work on spotting decoys better."

  "I know, I know," Kiba grumbled. "I just got too focused on tracking Sasuke's scent."

  Tsume's sharp eyes suddenly landed on Karin, and a knowing smirk spread across her face. "And who's this? Your new girlfriend?"

  "Mom!" Kiba protested, his face reddening further as Karin adjusted her glasses with a slight blush of her own.

  "I'm Karin Uzumaki," she introduced herself with as much dignity as she could muster. "I'm... a friend of Kiba's."

  "Uzumaki, eh?" Tsume's eyebrows rose. "Related to that loud blonde kid?"

  "Distant cousins," Karin confirmed.

  "Hmm," Tsume circled Karin with an evaluating gaze that made the redhead stand straighter. "Good chakra. Strong life force. She'd make strong pups."

  "MOM!" Kiba yelped, mortification complete as Chouji choked on his chips beside them.

  Hana laughed, patting her brother on the shoulder. "Ignore her, she does this to everyone."

  While the Inuzuka family drama unfolded, Tsume's companion, Kuromaru, had been eyeing Sakura with increasing interest. Without warning, the massive ninken darted forward, teeth closing gently but firmly around Sakura's ankle.

  "Eek!" Sakura yelped, springing backward with impressive agility, her rabbit reflexes allowing her to put several feet between herself and the canine in an instant.

  "Kuromaru!" Tsume barked sharply. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

  The ninken gave what appeared to be a canine shrug. "Instinct," he rumbled in a gravelly voice. "She smells like prey."

  "I am NOT prey," Sakura huffed, her ears twitching indignantly as she summoned Mochi with a quick hand sign.

  The white rabbit appeared in a puff of smoke, immediately brandishing his hammer with a fierce glare at Kuromaru. "Try that again, mutt, and you'll be the one with bite marks!"

  The situation threatened to escalate further as Hana's three ninken, the Haimaru triplets, began circling Mochi with evident interest, low growls emanating from their throats.

  "Back off!" Mochi warned, swinging his hammer in a threatening arc. "I've faced bigger dogs than you lot!"

  "Boys! Enough!" Hana commanded sharply, and her ninken reluctantly retreated to her side, though they continued to eye Mochi warily.

  "Sorry about that," Tsume said to Sakura, though she seemed more amused than apologetic. "Old habits die hard with these ones. No offense meant."

  "None taken," Sakura replied stiffly, one hand absently rubbing her ankle where Kuromaru had nipped her. There wasn't even a mark, but the indignity of it still stung.

  Before tensions could rise further, a tall figure in a high-collared coat approached their group. Shibi Aburame moved with the same measured pace as his son, stopping precisely at the edge of their gathering.

  "Shino," he greeted with a slight nod.

  "Father," Shino returned with equal brevity.

  "Your application of swarm tactics was logical and well-executed," Shibi stated. "The failure was not in strategy but in opponent assessment. Why? Because Team Seven's capabilities have evolved beyond standard genin parameters."

  Coming from the stoic Aburame clan head, this was high praise indeed.

  "I concur with your analysis," Shino replied. "Future encounters will be approached with revised tactical considerations."

  Tsume rolled her eyes. "Just say 'good job' and 'thanks, dad' like normal people, would you?"

  Neither Aburame acknowledged her comment, continuing their exchange of slight nods that somehow communicated volumes between them.

  The arrival of the clan parents had drawn curious glances from nearby spectators, some of whom were now pointing at their section. Sakura caught snippets of whispered conversations about "the rabbit girl" and "the last Uchiha's girlfriend," causing her ears to twitch in embarrassment.

  "Looks like they're getting ready for the next match," Tenten observed, redirecting everyone's attention to the arena where the proctor was calling for the next competitors.

  "Shikamaru's up against Temari and that Sound ninja, right?" Chouji asked, opening a fresh bag of chips.

  "Yes," Hinata confirmed. "It's the first of the three-way matches."

  Down below, the lazy genius visibly flinched as he trudged into the arena, hands shoved deep in his pockets. Opposite him, Temari of the Sand entered with confidence, her giant fan strapped to her back. Completing the trio was Dosu, the bandaged Sound ninja, whose single visible eye darted between his opponents with calculating intensity.

  "Shikamaru has the strategic mind to win this," Shino observed. "However, his chakra reserves are limited compared to his opponents."

  "Go, Shikamaru-kun!" Lee cheered enthusiastically. "Show them the power of your youthful spirit!"

  Chouji munched thoughtfully on his chips. "Shikamaru's been working on a new technique. I wonder if he'll use it."

  "He'll need to," Sakura said, eyeing Temari's fan. "That Sand kunoichi looks tough, and the Sound ninja has those sound-based attacks."

  As the proctor raised his hand to begin the match, the atmosphere in the stadium shifted. The casual conversations died down as spectators leaned forward in anticipation. Three-way matches were rare in the chunin exams, adding an unpredictable element to the proceedings.

  "BEGIN!" the proctor called, leaping back to give the combatants space.

  Immediately, Shikamaru dropped into a crouch, fingers forming his familiar thinking pose as Temari and Dosu eyed each other warily, neither willing to make the first move and potentially leave themselves open to attack from two sides.

  "Classic Shikamaru," Chouji said. "Planning while everyone else is acting."

  "It's a legitimate strategy," Shino countered. "Why? Because in a three-way battle, allowing your opponents to exhaust each other provides tactical advantages."

  "I know," Tenten sighed. "But it's not exactly exciting to watch."

  Below them, the standoff continued for several tense seconds before Temari finally lost patience. With a swift movement, she unfurled her fan and sent a cutting gust of wind toward both opponents simultaneously.

  Dosu dove to the side, his bandaged arm unwrapping slightly to reveal his sound amplification device. Shikamaru merely sank deeper into the shadow of the arena wall, seemingly unbothered by the attack that had barely missed him.

  "COME ON, SHIKAMARU!" Ino shouted from the competitors area. "DO SOMETHING!"

  Chouji continued munching on his chips, seemingly unbothered by his teammate's lack of action. "He'll move when he's ready," he said confidently. "Shikamaru always has a plan."

  As the match unfolded below, the genin in the spectator section settled in to watch, their earlier tensions forgotten in the excitement of the tournament. Kiba's mother and sister remained nearby, occasionally offering commentary on the fighters' techniques, while Shibi stood silent and observant behind his son.

  Mochi had taken up a vigilant position near Sakura's feet, hammer still clutched in his paws as he kept a wary eye on the Inuzuka ninken. Kuromaru, for his part, had settled by Tsume's side, though his one good eye occasionally flicked toward Sakura with predatory interest.

  "I hope Naruto's paying attention to this match," Hinata said softly. "He'll need all the information he can get before facing Gaara and Haku."

  Down in the arena, the battle had finally begun in earnest as Dosu launched an attack on Temari, forcing Shikamaru into motion. The lazy genius's shadow stretched across the arena floor, seeking targets with serpentine precision.

  "Here we go," Chouji said with satisfaction. "Now the real match begins."

  Ino leaned forward eagerly. "Show them what you've got, Shikamaru!"

  The rest of the spectators joined in the cheering, their voices rising to a crescendo as the three-way battle below intensified. For the moment, at least, clan rivalries and personal tensions were set aside in favor of supporting their fellow Konoha ninja.

  The roar of the crowd felt distant as I stepped into the arena, my single eye surveying my competition. The Nara boy slouched forward like he'd rather be anywhere else, while the Kazekage's daughter stood tall and confident with that massive fan strapped to her back.

  Lord Orochimaru's instructions echoed in my mind: conserve strength, gather intelligence, and survive until the signal. No need to reveal everything - just enough to advance. This match was merely a prelude to the real battle that would begin once the invasion started.

  I flexed my right arm, feeling the familiar weight of my Melody Arm beneath the bandages. Its resonating chamber would be my primary weapon, but I needed to be judicious with my chakra. The real fight would come later.

  "Remember your objective," Orochimaru had told me privately. "You represent Sound in this tournament. Make an impression, but save your true strength."

  As the proctor raised his hand to signal the start of our three-way battle, I considered my opponents more carefully. The Nara boy was supposedly brilliant but lazy - a dangerous combination. The Sand girl was technically an ally in the coming invasion, but I doubted she'd play nice here. The Kazekage's daughter likely had substantial chakra reserves, and that fan wasn't just for show.

  "BEGIN!" the proctor called, leaping back.

  The Nara immediately dropped into a crouching position, forming a strange hand seal. Planning already? I remained still, waiting. No sense rushing in when I could let my opponents reveal their strategies first.

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  Temari seemed to share my thinking. We locked eyes briefly - not allies here, just two competitors sizing each other up. Neither of us moved toward the other. Smart. Why fight on two fronts if we didn't have to?

  The Nara - Shikamaru - had retreated to the lightly forested area near one wall of the arena. Smart move too. Shadows were his weapon, and trees provided plenty.

  "Running away already?" Temari called out mockingly, finally breaking our three-way standoff.

  She unfurled her fan with a flick of her wrist, revealing one purple moon. With a swift, graceful movement, she sent a slicing gust of wind toward Shikamaru's position. The trees bent under the force of her attack, leaves scattering violently.

  For a moment, Shikamaru disappeared in the chaos of swirling debris. I watched carefully, using the distraction to assess Temari's technique. Powerful range, good control - definitely someone to avoid in close quarters.

  The Nara emerged seconds later, looking slightly disheveled with what appeared to be a fresh cut on his hand. Not serious, but he hadn't escaped untouched. Interesting.

  Now was my opportunity. While they focused on each other, I darted toward the arena wall opposite Shikamaru's position. Using chakra to adhere to the vertical surface, I quickly climbed several meters to gain a height advantage. From here, I could better observe their movements and plan my attacks.

  The crowd's murmuring grew louder at my maneuver. No doubt they expected me to engage directly, but that would be foolish. Let the Leaf and Sand wear each other down first.

  From my perch, I pulled several kunai from my pouch. I sent two flying toward Temari, who stood exposed in the middle of the arena. The remaining five I scattered toward Shikamaru's general area in the trees, not aiming directly at him but at the spaces where he might dodge.

  As expected, Temari reacted immediately. With a confident smirk, she swung her fan, creating a gust that knocked my kunai off course. Show-off.

  Shikamaru wasn't idle either. He emerged just enough to launch his own kunai, deflecting three of mine that had come too close to his position. But he missed two - exactly as I'd hoped.

  The special tags attached to those kunai ignited upon impact with the ground. Not explosive tags - that would be too obvious. These were smoke and fire tags, designed to slowly spread flames through the dry grass.

  A calculated risk on my part. Fire created smoke, which could potentially give the Nara more shadows to work with. But if managed properly, it would force him from his hiding spot and limit his movements.

  Temari caught on quickly - perhaps too quickly. She repositioned herself and began using her fan to send controlled bursts of wind toward the growing fires. Just enough to fan the flames toward Shikamaru without creating the thick clouds of smoke that would benefit him. The girl was sharp, I had to give her that.

  "Trying to smoke me out?" Shikamaru called, his voice barely audible above the crowd and the crackling flames. "How troublesome."

  Temari didn't respond verbally. Instead, she unleashed a much stronger blast of wind - one that split its path. One stream directed toward Shikamaru's position, while the other, unexpectedly, came straight at me.

  I released my chakra grip on the wall, dropping quickly to avoid the cutting air. Rolling as I hit the ground, I absorbed the impact and sprang back to my feet in one fluid motion. The wall where I'd been standing now bore a deep slice - a clear message from the Sand kunoichi that our temporary non-aggression was over.

  The fires had spread more than anticipated, creating a semi-circle that pushed closer to Shikamaru's position. The smoke wasn't thick enough for substantial shadows, thanks to Temari's wind control, but it was clearly becoming uncomfortable for the Leaf ninja.

  Finally, Shikamaru emerged from the tree line, coughing slightly and squinting against the smoke. He'd been forced into the open, just as planned.

  "Now we can really begin," I said, my voice muffled by my bandages.

  With the Nara exposed, I channeled a small amount of chakra into my Melody Arm. This wasn't my standard attack - Lord Orochimaru had helped me develop a more focused technique after our encounter with that rabbit girl in the Forest of Death. Rather than the wide-dispersal sound waves I typically used, this one created a concentrated beam of disruptive frequencies.

  I swung my arm in a tight arc, sending the invisible attack toward Shikamaru. The air between us seemed to vibrate slightly - the only visible indication of my technique.

  Shikamaru's eyes widened fractionally. He dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the direct impact of my sound wave. Even so, I could tell from his slight wince that the outer edges of the attack had affected him. Not enough to incapacitate, but enough to disorient.

  "What's wrong, Leaf ninja?" I taunted. "Finding it hard to concentrate?"

  Before he could recover completely, Temari seized the opportunity. She swept her now fully opened fan in a wide arc, sending a devastating gust of wind toward the still-crouching Shikamaru.

  "Wind Scythe Jutsu!" she called out.

  The attack caught him squarely, lifting him off his feet and sending him tumbling across the arena. He slammed into the wall with enough force that I heard the impact even from my position. The crowd gasped collectively.

  For a moment, I thought he might be done. But the Nara slowly pushed himself up, blood trickling from a cut on his forehead. He settled back into that strange crouching position, fingers forming a circle in front of him.

  "Shadow Possession already failed once," Temari called to him. "What makes you think it'll work now?"

  "Not Possession," Shikamaru replied calmly. "Shadow Strangle Jutsu."

  I scoffed behind my bandages. He had to be bluffing. I was well outside the range of any shadow technique, standing in the bright sunlight at least fifteen meters from the nearest shadow. Even Temari, though closer to him than I was, stood in full light.

  Then I felt it - a strange, cold sensation creeping up my legs. My body froze, muscles locking involuntarily.

  "What?" I managed to gasp, my eye widening in shock.

  Looking down, I saw inky blackness wrapped around my ankles, slithering up my calves like living serpents. But there was no connection - no visible shadow stretching from Shikamaru to me. How was this possible?

  A quick glance showed Temari similarly immobilized, her fan halfway through another attack motion.

  The shadows continued their upward climb, wrapping around my torso and squeezing with increasing pressure. My lungs constricted, making each breath shorter than the last.

  "But there's no... connecting shadow," I choked out, scanning the ground desperately.

  The crowd's roars seemed to fade as my vision began to narrow. I tried to channel chakra to disrupt the technique, but my control was slipping away along with my consciousness.

  My last coherent thought before darkness claimed me was one of confusion and grudging respect: the Nara boy was far more dangerous than Lord Orochimaru had led us to believe.

  Earlier that morning

  I had knelt before Lord Orochimaru, head bowed in respect as he outlined my role in today's events.

  "Your match is merely a prelude, Dosu," he had said, his voice carrying that distinctive sibilant quality that always sent shivers down my spine. "I need you to demonstrate Sound's capabilities without revealing everything. The invasion is what matters."

  "Yes, Lord Orochimaru," I'd responded dutifully. "And the Sand ninja? Should I coordinate with them during the match?"

  His golden eyes had narrowed slightly. "The Sand kunoichi will fight to win, as will you. There is no need for obvious collusion that might alert the Leaf to our alliance. Simply avoid causing each other serious harm."

  I'd nodded my understanding. "And the Nara boy?"

  "A strategist, but ultimately inconsequential. His shadow techniques require direct connection and have limited range. Keep your distance, and he poses no threat."

  With those words echoing in my mind, I'd prepared myself for a match that would showcase Sound's strength while preserving my abilities for the true battle to come.

  How wrong we had been.

  The shadows crept higher, wrapping around my throat. The last thing I saw before my eye closed was Shikamaru's utterly bored expression as he single-handedly incapacitated two foreign ninja.

  I felt a new emotion as consciousness slipped away - doubt. If Lord Orochimaru had miscalculated so severely about this one genin's capabilities, what else might he have misjudged?

  The darkness took me before I could pursue that troubling thought further.

  When I awoke in the medical bay some time later, my head pounding and throat sore, the first thing I heard was the continuing roar of the crowd. The tournament was still underway. I hadn't been unconscious long.

  A medic ninja approached my bed, clipboard in hand. "How are you feeling?" she asked clinically.

  "What happened?" I managed to rasp out, my voice even more muffled than usual through my bandages.

  "Shadow strangulation technique," she replied matter-of-factly. "You're lucky the proctor called the match when he did. Another few seconds and you might have suffered tracheal damage."

  I tried to sit up, wincing at the pain that flared in my neck muscles. "The outcome?"

  "Nara Shikamaru was declared the winner," she said. "You and the Sand kunoichi were both eliminated simultaneously."

  So I'd failed Lord Orochimaru. The thought sent a chill through me that had nothing to do with my injuries.

  "When can I leave?" I asked, already calculating how I could still be useful during the invasion.

  The medic frowned. "You should rest for at least—"

  "I'm fine," I insisted, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. "I need to rejoin my team."

  She seemed about to protest, but something in my posture made her reconsider. With a shrug, she handed me a small pill. "For the pain. Don't overexert yourself."

  I nodded curtly, dry-swallowing the medication before standing. My balance wavered momentarily, but I forced my body to steady itself through sheer will.

  As I made my way toward the exit, I passed another bed where Temari sat, receiving similar treatment. Our eyes met briefly. Hers narrowed slightly - message received. We'd both underestimated the Leaf genin, but the real battle was yet to come.

  I continued past her without speaking. There would be time for coordination later, once I'd reported to Zaku and determined where I would be most useful when the signal came.

  But as I walked the corridors back toward the stadium, a persistent question plagued me: How had the Nara boy caught us in his shadow technique with no connecting shadow?

  The roar of the crowd washed over the genin section as the medics carried Dosu and Temari from the arena floor. Shikamaru stood in the center, looking more annoyed than triumphant, hands stuffed in his pockets as the proctor declared him the winner.

  "What just happened?" Rock Lee leaned forward, bushy eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I blinked and suddenly both opponents were on the ground!"

  "Did anyone see how Shikamaru's shadow reached them?" Tenten asked, eyes narrowed analytically. "I was watching carefully, and there wasn't any direct connection."

  Kiba, still sore from his own defeat, crossed his arms. "Has to be a trick. Maybe the smoke from those fires?"

  "No," Shino adjusted his glasses. "I was monitoring the entire arena with my insects. The smoke never created sufficient shadow density for his technique."

  Hinata activated her Byakugan briefly. "The shadows he cast were normal. Nothing unusual about his chakra flow either."

  Sakura's fingers dug into her thighs, her expression darkening with each passing second. Her rabbit ears twitched in agitation, catching Karin's attention.

  "You know something," Karin said, not a question but a statement. "Your body language changed the moment his jutsu activated."

  All eyes turned to Sakura, whose lips had pressed into a thin line.

  "Sakura-chan?" Hinata's gentle voice held curiosity. "Did you see something we missed?"

  A low growl escaped Sakura's throat, startling those nearest to her. "That sneaky, lazy..." She ran a hand through her pink hair in frustration. "He promised it was temporary. At that time."

  "Temporary?" Chouji paused mid-chip. "What was temporary?"

  "Nothing," Sakura snapped, then immediately softened her tone. "Sorry, Chouji. It's not your fault."

  "Come on, Bun-butt," Kiba needled, using Ino's irritating nickname for her. "Spill it. How'd did that lazy-ass pull it off?"

  Sakura's ears flattened against her head. "First, don't call me that. And Second..." She crossed her arms. "I'm not telling. Shikamaru can explain himself if he wants to."

  Rock Lee looked disappointed. "But Sakura-san, sharing knowledge helps us all grow as shinobi!"

  "Not this time," Sakura said firmly. "Besides, shouldn't you all be watching? Neji and Ino's match is next."

  Karin leaned closer to Sakura, whispering, "It has something to do with your... changes, doesn't it?" She gestured vaguely to Sakura's ears.

  Sakura's eyes widened fractionally before narrowing. "Drop it, Karin."

  Tenten sighed. "Fine, keep your secrets. But I'm going to figure it out anyway."

  "Good luck with that," Sakura muttered, her gaze drifting to the arena floor where the proctor was preparing for the next match.

  Chouji offered her a chip in silent solidarity. After a moment's hesitation, she accepted it with a small smile.

  "It must have been the grass," Kiba insisted, unwilling to let the matter drop. "He did something with the shadows in the grass."

  "That doesn't explain how he caught both opponents simultaneously when they were on opposite sides of the arena," Shino pointed out."

  Sakura's ear twitched again, and she bit her tongue to keep from correcting them. Let Shikamaru deal with the fallout. She'd warned him about this after Wave.

  In the Kage box, the conversation had taken a similar turn.

  "Most impressive," the Hokage said, puffing contentedly on his pipe. "Young Shikamaru has his father's tactical mind, but I see he's developing his own unique approach."

  "I must admit," Rasa, the Kazekage, said carefully, "I did not expect such a decisive victory. My daughter isn't particularly inventive in combat, but even I am surprised by how thoroughly she was outmaneuvered."

  Mei Terumi, the Mizukage, tapped a lacquered fingernail against her armrest. "A shadow technique with no connecting shadow? I wasn't aware the Nara clan had such capabilities."

  "They traditionally don't," Sarutobi replied, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Young Shikamaru has been... expanding the family repertoire, it seems."

  Mui, representing Grass, leaned forward with interest. "Your Konoha shinobi continue to impress, Hokage-sama. Perhaps this young man would make a suitable successor when you finally decide to retire?"

  Sarutobi chuckled, smoke curling from his pipe. "The Nara are too smart to want the Hokage position. They see all the paperwork."

  "Every village has its promising youths," Rasa commented, a strange edge to his voice. "Though Konoha seems particularly blessed in this generation."

  "Indeed," Sarutobi nodded. "Though I already have my eye on another potential successor."

  This caught everyone's attention, with even the bodyguards shifting slightly to better hear the Hokage's words.

  "Oh?" Mei's visible eye sparkled with interest. "Someone we've seen today?"

  "Perhaps," Sarutobi said enigmatically. "I hope to have five more years to prepare them properly, but I believe they could be ready in three, if an emergency demanded it."

  Rasa's fingers tightened imperceptibly on his armrest. "So young? That would make them, what, fifteen or sixteen by then?"

  "The Fourth was not much older when he distinguished himself in the war," Sarutobi pointed out. "Age is less important than wisdom, compassion, and the will to protect what matters."

  "And power," Rasa added. "A Kage must be powerful enough to defend their village."

  "That too," Sarutobi agreed, his expression revealing nothing. "But power without restraint is merely destruction. The right successor must understand this balance."

  Zabuza, standing behind Mei, made a derisive sound that he quickly covered with a cough. Mei shot him a quelling look before returning her attention to the arena.

  "The next match should be interesting," she observed. "The Hyūga prodigy, your son's student, and the puppeteer. Another three-way confrontation."

  "Indeed," Sarutobi nodded, allowing the change of subject." The proctor's voice rang out below, announcing the next combatants. The Kages settled back to watch, though Rasa's gaze occasionally flickered toward Sarutobi with renewed calculation.

  Far below the stands, in the shadowed tunnel leading to the competitors' viewing area, Shikamaru exhaled deeply. The tension of the match was finally leaving his shoulders, replaced by his customary slouch.

  "What a drag," he muttered, reaching into his pocket. "Barely made it in time."

  "You doubted me?" A small, squeaky voice replied as Shikamaru produced a tiny black rabbit no larger than his palm. "I told you I'm the fastest digger in the Great Warren!"

  "You cut it pretty close with that last tunnel, Anbori," Shikamaru said, allowing a rare smile to soften his features. "But yeah, you did good."

  The rabbit, completely black from his long ears to his stubby tail, puffed out his chest proudly. "Digging under that Sand girl was tricky. Her chakra made the soil all weird and gritty."

  "That was her father's gold dust technique," Shikamaru explained. "She's probably inherited some aspect of it."

  "Still dug through it," Anbori boasted. "And the Sound guy never suspected a thing! His vibrations actually helped break up the harder soil."

  Shikamaru reached into another pocket and produced a small, perfectly orange carrot. "As promised."

  The rabbit's nose twitched excitedly as he accepted the offering, taking an enthusiastic bite. "Working with you is fun, Shikamaru! Much better than combat training with the other summons. They're all 'charge this' and 'attack that.' Boring!"

  "Just don't tell Sakura you helped me," Shikamaru warned. "She already looked ready to skin me alive when I glanced up at the stands."

  Anbori's ears drooped slightly. "She's still mad about the contract thing?"

  "Troublesome women," Shikamaru sighed. "She'll get over it. Eventually. Probably."

  "Queen Joousa thought it was hilarious," Anbori said between bites. "Said it proves her point about rabbits being smarter than dogs."

  Shikamaru leaned against the cool tunnel wall. "Smart enough to dig a network of tunnels under an arena without anyone noticing, creating the perfect channel for my shadow to travel through."

  "Exactly!" Anbori finished the carrot with a satisfied crunch. "The dogs would have just tried to bite everyone."

  Muffled cheers from above indicated the next match was about to begin.

  "Time for me to head back," Shikamaru said. "You ready to go home?"

  Anbori's ears perked up. "Sure! This was fun, but I've got more tunnels to dig at the Great Warren. We're expanding the northern section!"

  "I'll summon you again next time I need an underground route," Shikamaru promised. "It's way less troublesome than having to chase shadows around in the open."

  "Just bring more carrots," Anbori said, his small form already beginning to shimmer with released chakra. "The purple ones next time!"

  "Demanding little..." Shikamaru muttered, but there was no heat in his words. "Fine. Purple carrots."

  With a small poof of smoke, the rabbit disappeared, leaving Shikamaru alone in the tunnel. He took a moment to compose himself, arranging his features back into their usual mask of boredom before heading toward the stairs.

  As troublesome as it would be to face Sakura's wrath, he couldn't deny the satisfaction of pulling off such a perfectly executed strategy. Let the other villages wonder how a Nara had overcome the fundamental limitation of their shadow techniques.

  The answer was right under their feet the whole time.

  When Shikamaru emerged into the competitors' viewing area, he found Sasuke waiting for him, arms crossed and Sharingan active.

  "That was an interesting technique," the Uchiha said quietly. "I didn't see any shadow connection."

  Shikamaru shrugged noncommittally. "Just a variation I've been working on."

  "Sakura looks ready to throttle you," Sasuke observed, a hint of amusement in his otherwise flat tone. "Something about a temporary arrangement?"

  "She's overreacting," Shikamaru yawned. "It's not like I signed a full contract."

  Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. "You found a loophole in the rabbit summoning contract, didn't you?"

  "Maybe," Shikamaru admitted. "Queen Joousa thought it was interesting enough to allow it."

  "Without telling Sakura."

  "Would you have told her?"

  Sasuke considered this for a moment, then smirked. "Yes."

  Shikamaru sighed. "Too troublesome."

  Sasuke turned his attention back to the arena, where Neji, Ino, and Kankuro were being introduced. "Just don't expect me to protect you when she decides to exact revenge."

  "Wouldn't dream of it," Shikamaru muttered, settling in to watch the next match.

  He'd enjoy this brief period of victory before Sakura inevitably cornered him for explanations. Maybe watching Ino get demolished by the Hyūga prodigy would improve her mood. Probably not, but a man could hope.

  Below, the proctor raised his hand to signal the start of the match. Whatever happened next, at least Shikamaru could enjoy it from the sidelines. His part in this troublesome tournament was done.

  Unless, of course, they expected him to fight another round.

  That thought alone was almost enough to make him forfeit preemptively.

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